Turnout small, but hearts grateful for holiday meal

With the economy still on thin ice, the owner of Piper’s Alley restaurant in Clinton Township sought to help feed the needy and those who didn’t have family to celebrate with on Thanksgiving.

Tommy Vasilos and his staff worked with their suppliers who donated enough food and supplies for 200, but the turnout was smaller. That’s probably due to a late start in getting the word out, Vasilos said.

But for those who did come, such as 64-year-old Marvin Lupo of St. Clair Shores, their generosity underscored the spirit of the holiday.

“This man is like a saint,” said Lupo, who is on disability.

Lupo, a Navy veteran who lives alone and otherwise might have nibbled on a tuna fish sandwich Thursday, downed two plates full of pulled turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, beans, stuffing, rolls and pie before setting out for his third plate.

He was among a small group of folks who enjoyed the food and companionship at the restaurant while they watched the Detroit Lions lose to the Houston Texans on television.

“You know, there are people worse off than I am,” Lupo said. “My parents passed away and I have some medical issues. But for this man to help people less fortunate on the holiday, he’s one of a kind.”

Now in his fourth year of running Piper’s Alley on Gratiot, near 15 Mile Road, Vasilos said he was touched by the homeless who approach him “every day” in local gas stations and grocery stores. That’s when he decided to host a small Thanksgiving celebration.

“At least I can eat, I have the resources to take care of myself, thankfully,” Vasilos said. “But it breaks my heart to see so many people around here who don’t have a job or a car or money to buy food. I just wanted to give back.”

Vasilos notified area homeless shelters and contacted Michael Ash of attackhunger.com, a business that helps to donate food to local shelters, to get the word out about the event.

“Unfortunately, immobility and the needy run hand in hand, so we’re thinking some people who may have benefited by this were not able to get a ride here. We’re thinking about providing a shuttle program for next year,” Ash said.

Piper’s Alley cook William Duffy said Fairway Meats, Lumetta Distribution and Macomb Foods donated the items used for the dinner. He said none of it would go to waste as Michael Fox was taking the leftovers to the Nardin Park Recovery Center for people battling substance abuse in Detroit, where he serves on the board of directors.

Vasilos already is planning on how to improve the event for 2013.

“This was our first year, but I’m going to keep doing it every year for the people of our community,” he said.

Elsewhere on Thanksgiving, local police reported moderate to heavy traffic on area roads and freeways but no major problems.

But as the evening progressed, officers were called to a number of area shopping centers in Clinton Township and Roseville where crowds waiting for late night Black Friday specials were growing unruly. As of 9 p.m., no arrests were reported.

Area residents who enjoyed the unusually mild 63-degree high on Thanksgiving are in for a surprise as the weather will change dramatically.

A strong cold front moving through the region overnight is expected to bring rain in the early-morning hours followed by a chance of snow showers this afternoon and a high of 45 degrees. The front is also expected to usher in windy conditions with gusts of up to 45 mph.

Anyone heading out to the Macomb County Santa Parade on Main Street in Mount Clemens or the Grosse Pointe Santa Parade on Kerchevel should bundle up. Both events begin at 10 a.m.